Georges Seurat (1859–1891)
1890
Conté crayon on paper
Gravelines, summer 1890
The Channel of Gravelines: An Evening (number 18) is rare in having both preparatory oil sketches and drawings. Here, Georges Seurat used different pressures of the Conté crayon, as well as the layering of strokes, to achieve a range of tonal effects and convey subtle variations of light and shadow. As the medium does not smudge or blend, he applied criss-cross strokes to indicate the darkening sky and long lines for the reflections on the water. Working in black and white was important for Seurat’s understanding of tone, which informed the way he used colour in his finished paintings.